The poor fellow blushed with evident pain, and faltered out his story in few and simple words, as if ashamed that anything on earth should have driven him at last to such an extremity as this.

In another case, a clean old decrepid man presented himself.

"What's brought you here, Joseph ?" said the chairman.

"Why; aw've nought to do,--nor nought to tak to." "What's your daughter, Ellen, doing, Joseph ?" "Hoo's eawt o' wark." "And what's your wife doing ?" "Hoo's bin bed-fast aboon five year." The old man was relieved at once; but, as he walked away, he looked hard at his ticket, as if it wasn't exactly the kind of thing; and, turning round, he said, "Couldn't yo let me be a sweeper i'th streets, istid, Mr Eccles ?" A clean old woman came up, with a snow- white nightcap on her head.

"Well, Mary; what do you want ?" "Aw could like yo to gi mo a bit o' summat, Mr Eccles,--for aw need it" "Well, but you've some lodgers, haven't you, Mary ?" "Yigh; aw've three." "Well; what do they pay you ?" "They pay'n mo nought.